A better side that Scotland would have stung Australia in the quarter-finals and the Wallabies only survived a major scare in the pool game against Ireland when David Humphreys’ late drop-goal floated just wide.

The criticisms have flowed and Ella can understand why the Australian rugby public are so concerned the likes of Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers, who have World Cup experience from their rugby league days, are showing potentially fatal lapses in concentration.

“It’s the concentration of the players. It’s no good harping on it, the guys are quality rugby players and they just need to catch the ball when it’s there to be caught,” said Ella.

“We’ve executed the play well and made some opportunities for the backs but the last pass has just gone astray.

“These guys have played in Test matches over the last couple of years and they’re balls they are expected to catch.

“They’ve got away with it in the last four games and they need to execute very well in this next game.”

The All Blacks are the world’s most dangerous counter-attacking side and feed off turnover ball, relishing the chance to break from inside their own half with a devastating back three of wingers Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett, plus full-back Mils Muliaina.

Ella revealed the last performance he was happy with came in the one-sided 142-0 rout of minnows Namibia, when Australia totted up 22 unopposed tries.

But in truly competitive matches, like those against Scotland, Ireland and Argentina, the Wallabies have struggled.

“The whole team has got more to give. We’re running at about 70% so there is a lot of improvement to go,” said Ella.

“We haven’t achieved the goals and the levels we want. I’m sure the players we’re picking have the ability to achieve those levels but it’s a matter of getting those seven players on the day clicking.

“It’s a matter of the guys running their lines, creating the opportunities and then finishing. The guys really want to have a go.”

Despite the internal pressures on perform and external pressures created by a critical Australian media, the mood in the camp remains positive.

“We’re certainly underdogs and that’s a good position to be in,” said Ella.

“The guys have read the press, know what’s out there and they want to prove that they can play rugby the way the Australians want to watch it.”

And outside centre Stirling Mortlock is confident that if the Wallabies can eradicate those errors and up their game by that missing 30%, New Zealand will be given their toughest test of the World Cup yet.

Wales surprised everyone by pushing the All Blacks close in a game Richie McCaw described as his hardest of the year. But Mortlock promises more.

“I think the All Black back line hasn’t been tested a lot during this World Cup campaign,” he said.

“I think if we, as a back line, can not make as many errors as we have in the past and test their combinations we can make some inroads,” added Mortlock, who kept his place in the side after making his first start – in the quarter-final against Scotland – since undergoing knee surgery.

Despite reports to the contrary, Mortlock insisted there were no plans to target mercurial All Blacks fly-half Carlos Spencer.

“Their back row defend well around Carlos. I think if you target him, you end up running into their back row all the time and their back row are extremely good at pilfering the ball at the back line,” said Mortlock.

“Certainly if we get the chance to, you’d be silly not to try and go at him but it’s not necessarily the way we’ll be going the whole game.”

In other developments today, vice-captain David Giffin was declared fit to play from the bench after coming through a fitness test on the quad strain that ruled him out of the quarter-final.

He said: “It’s fine. I trained yesterday afternoon and didn’t have any problems so I fully expect to get through the rest of week and be fine for the game.”

Giffin was initially bracketed on the bench with Daniel Vickerman, who now drops out of the match XXII.

The All Blacks struck the first blow by winning the coin toss and today opting for the home dressing room at Telstra Stadium, normally the preserve of the Wallabies.

The former Olympic Stadium may be Australia’s favourite ground, but it has been a happy hunting ground for New Zealand too, with their last visit resulting in a thumping 50-21 victory.